U.S. patent application number 17/280903 was filed with the patent office on 2022-01-06 for safety belt and method for producing a safety belt.
The applicant listed for this patent is ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH. Invention is credited to Martina RAUSCH, Anna-Lena WEBER GEB. PROTT.
Application Number | 20220001832 17/280903 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005901537 |
Filed Date | 2022-01-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220001832 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
RAUSCH; Martina ; et
al. |
January 6, 2022 |
SAFETY BELT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SAFETY BELT
Abstract
The invention provides a seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle
comprising a webbing (12) that includes at least one chamber (24)
in which at least one electric, especially band-shaped, heating
element (26) is accommodated. The invention further provides a
method for manufacturing such seat belt (10).
Inventors: |
RAUSCH; Martina;
(Remshalden, DE) ; WEBER GEB. PROTT; Anna-Lena;
(Geldersheim, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH |
Alfdorf |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005901537 |
Appl. No.: |
17/280903 |
Filed: |
September 27, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
September 27, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2019/076179 |
371 Date: |
March 28, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D10B 2505/122 20130101;
B60R 22/12 20130101; D03D 15/283 20210101; D03D 3/02 20130101; B60H
1/2215 20130101; D03D 1/0005 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 22/12 20060101
B60R022/12; D03D 1/00 20060101 D03D001/00; D03D 3/02 20060101
D03D003/02; D03D 15/283 20060101 D03D015/283; B60H 1/22 20060101
B60H001/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 1, 2018 |
DE |
10 2018 124 240.9 |
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a webbing (12)
that includes at least one chamber (24) in which at least one
electric, especially band-shaped, heating element (26) is
accommodated.
13. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein there are provided
plural chambers (24) in each of which at least one electric heating
element (26) is accommodated, especially wherein the chambers (24)
are arranged in parallel to each other.
14. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the at least one
chamber (24) extends at least over a partial area (22) of the
webbing (12) in the longitudinal direction, and/or in that the at
least one chamber (24) has a width of 3 to 5 mm.
15. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the electric
heating element (26) comprises at least one carrier (30) on which
at least one heating material (32) is disposed, especially wherein
the heating material (32) is loop-shaped.
16. The seat belt according to claim 15, wherein the heating
material (32) has been embroidered onto the carrier (30).
17. The seat belt according to claim 15, wherein the heating
material (32) is insulated at least in some areas, especially
wherein an insulated heating material (32), such as at least one
copper strand with an enamel insulation, is provided.
18. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the seat belt (10)
includes an end fitting (16) at which an electrical contact is
applied to the electric heating element (26).
19. A method for manufacturing a seat belt (10) for a motor
vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a webbing (12)
including at least one chamber (24) and at least one electric,
especially band-shaped, heating element (26), and arranging the
electric heating element (26) in the at least one chamber (24) of
the webbing (12).
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the webbing (12) is
fabricated together with the electric heating element (26) in a
weaving process, especially wherein the electric heating element
(26) is continuously fed during the weaving process of the webbing
(12).
21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the electric heating
element (26) comprises a carrier (30) and a heating material (32)
that is embroidered onto the carrier (30), especially wherein the
electric heating element (26) is prefabricated.
22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the electric heating
element (26) is insulated at least in some areas, especially the
heating material (22).
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a seat belt for a motor vehicle.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a
seat belt for a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Seat belts for motor vehicles include a webbing that is
usually made from a woven fabric, for example from PET. In general,
a seat belt serves to fix a vehicle occupant on the vehicle seat,
if the is vehicle strongly decelerated and corresponding forces act
upon the vehicle occupant. The seat belt may further be part of a
safety system which, inter alia, comprises a belt tensioner so that
the seat belt, especially the webbing, is tensioned in case a crash
or the like is imminent. This ensures the vehicle occupant to be
fixed to the vehicle seat via the seat belt at an early stage.
[0003] Typically, the seat belt itself has no additional functions,
however.
[0004] Moreover, for a conventional motor vehicle it is known that
the passenger compartment is heated by means of the waste heat of
the internal combustion engine so that the vehicle occupants are
warmed via the atmosphere in the passenger compartment. In electric
vehicles, on the other hand, the required heating capacity must be
provided by the vehicle battery which additionally provides the
electrical energy for operating the electric motor.
[0005] Based on the electric heating capacity, the available
cruising range of the electric vehicle is reduced, however, when
the heating is operating. Therefore, a heating system is desired
which requires as little electrical power as possible and still
does not impair the occupants' comfort.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is the object of the invention to provide a possibility
of efficiently warming a vehicle occupant.
[0007] In accordance with the invention, the object is achieved by
a seat belt for a vehicle comprising a webbing that includes at
least one chamber in which at least one electric, especially
band-shaped, heating element is accommodated. Insofar, it is
provided according to the invention to place the heat source or,
resp., the heating unit provided by the electric heating element
closer to the vehicle occupant so that the vehicle occupant can be
efficiently warmed. This is possible as, according to the
invention, the air in the passenger compartment of the vehicle need
not be warmed via the heating system. Thus, the heating capacity
required is considerably reduced, as the vehicle occupant is warmed
directly through the seat belt, especially through the electric
heating element accommodated in the at least one chamber.
[0008] In order to be able to control the heat distribution
especially efficiently, there may be provided plural chambers in
each of which at least one electric heating element is
accommodated. The individual electric heating elements can be
driven especially independently of each other so that a proper heat
distribution can be adjusted. Especially, the plural chambers are
arranged in parallel to each other.
[0009] The plural chambers can be arranged to be distributed over
the width of the webbing so that the heating capacity can be varied
over the width of the webbing. Insofar, one chamber extends over a
partial width of the webbing only.
[0010] Further, plural chambers in each of which at least one
electric heating element is accommodated can be arranged
successively in the longitudinal direction of the webbing. The
heating capacity can be equally correspondingly varied in this way.
It may further be provided that in one chamber in the longitudinal
direction plural heating elements are successively arranged or one
heating element having plural heating portions is arranged. The
plural heating elements or the plural heating portions can be
driven especially independently of each other.
[0011] Basically, the at least one chamber can extend over the
total length or else merely over a partial area of the webbing in
the longitudinal direction. The at least one chamber moreover can
have a width of 3 to 5 mm. This enables a desired portion of the
webbing to exhibit a defined heating profile. If the heating
element extends over a partial area or a section of the webbing, an
as efficient warming of the vehicle occupant as possible is
safeguarded, because areas of the webbing that are not adjacent to
the vehicle occupant's body are not warmed.
[0012] In general, this allows the electrical power being consumed
to be utilized as efficiently as possible, if it is not necessary
to heat the entire webbing, and especially areas which are not
adjacent to the vehicle occupant's body.
[0013] The heating element can extend over the entire length of the
chamber or over a partial length of the chamber.
[0014] The width of the heating elements may be adapted to the
width of the chambers and thus may range from 3 to 5 mm. In other
words, the heating elements equally have a corresponding width so
that they can be easily handled, especially when manufacturing the
seat belt.
[0015] The electric heating element may comprise at least one
carrier on which the at least one heating material is disposed. The
carrier serves to stabilize the heating element, especially when
the heating element comprises a flexible heating material. In
addition, especially a band-shaped carrier ensures the heating
element to be easily introduced during the weaving process, when
the webbing is manufactured. The carrier may be a non-woven or may
consist of a fabric material.
[0016] The heating material may be especially loop-shaped. This
enables both ends of the heating material to be contacted at the
same end of the heating element. The two free ends of the heating
material are assigned to the same end of the heating element, as
the heating material is disposed in loop shape. Insofar, only one
electrical interface at which an electric contact is applied to the
heating element has to be provided for the electric heating
element. Manufacture and assembly are facilitated accordingly.
[0017] For fixing the heating material on the carrier, said heating
material may have been embroidered and/or applied by means of
crochet galloon technique onto the carrier. This guarantees simple
and cost-efficient manufacture of the heating element. Furthermore,
the electric heating element thus can be easily introduced during
the weaving process of the webbing so that said it does not have to
be introduced manually afterwards.
[0018] The heating material can be insulated at least in some
areas, especially an insulated heating material can be provided. As
an insulated heating material, a conductive fiber element and/or a
conductive stranded element can be provided. As a conductive fiber
and/or stranded element, for example at least one metal strand such
as a steel strand including copper coating and/or a copper strand,
and/or a carbon fiber and/or a heating yarn including an enamel
insulation can be provided. Accordingly, the safety is increased,
as, due to the insulation, the electrically conductive material
cannot be exposed to water or other liquids. Further, said
insulation protects against mechanical impact such as, e.g.,
abrasion.
[0019] Also, at least some areas of the heating element can be
insulated, especially can be provided with an insulating coating
and/or sheathed with a separate insulation.
[0020] The seat belt may include an end fitting on which an
electrical contact is applied to the electric heating element. An
electrical contact is applied to the end side of the electric
heating element in a simple manner, for which purpose the end
fitting is basically suited, as typically the latter is not
provided in the motion area of the vehicle occupants so that any
inadvertent damaging can be effectively prevented. Moreover,
further components of the seat belt which have a more complex
design and less free construction space such as, e.g., the
retractor can remain unchanged.
[0021] Furthermore, according to the invention, the object is
achieved by a method for manufacturing a seat belt for a motor
vehicle, wherein a webbing and at least one electric, especially
band-shaped, heating element are provided. Then the electric
heating element is arranged in the at least one chamber of the
webbing.
[0022] The afore-mentioned advantages are analogously resulting for
the method, as here a seat belt comprising an electric heating
system is provided which, when the vehicle occupant is wearing the
seat belt, is in direct vicinity of the vehicle occupant so that
the latter can be warmed more efficiently than in the case of
heating the entire passenger compartment.
[0023] Basically, an electric heating system is thus integrated in
the seat belt.
[0024] The webbing can be fabricated together with the electric
heating element during a weaving process. This allows quicker
manufacture of the seat belt with the integrated heating system
which is provided through the electric heating element.
[0025] In particular, the electric heating element is continuously
fed to the weaving process of the webbing. In this way, continuous
fabrication of the webbing without manual, especially subsequent,
introduction of the heating element is possible, thus allowing a
correspondingly quicker and more cost-efficient manufacture of the
seat belt.
[0026] During weaving of the webbing, the electric heating element
thus can be directly integrated in the webbing which, for this
purpose, includes at least one appropriate chamber in which the
electric heating element is accommodated and, resp., arranged
during the weaving process.
[0027] Insofar, the electric heating element is then fastened in
the webbing due to the weaving operation or weaving process.
[0028] The electric heating element may comprise a carrier and a
heating material that is embroidered onto the carrier. The carrier
serves to stabilize the electric heating element so that an
appropriately flexible heating material can be used.
[0029] For efficient and quick fabrication, the electric heating
element can especially be prefabricated.
[0030] Furthermore, at least some areas of the electric heating
element may be insulated, especially the heating material. Thus,
the electric heating element can be protected, inside the webbing,
against external influences such as water and/or sweat.
[0031] Especially, plural chambers in each of which an electric
heating element is arranged can be provided side by side and
successively via the webbing.
[0032] If the webbing comprises plural electric heating elements,
they can be driven especially independently of each other, which
allows a total heating capacity and, resp., a heating surface to be
easily adjusted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0033] Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will
be evident from the following description and the drawings which
will be referred to, and wherein:
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a seat belt according to
the invention comprising a webbing; and
[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a portion of the
webbing of a seat belt according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates a seat belt 10 for a motor vehicle
comprising a webbing 12 the one end of which is assigned to a
webbing retractor 14 and the second end of which is assigned to an
end fitting 16.
[0037] Moreover, the seat belt 10 comprises a deflecting device 18
via which the webbing 12 is appropriately deflected.
[0038] In addition, a plug tongue 20 through which the webbing 12
is passed is movably arranged at the webbing 12.
[0039] The webbing 12 additionally includes a portion 22 comprising
plural chambers 24, as is visible from FIG. 2.
[0040] In each of the chambers 24 an electric heating element 26 is
introduced. The chambers 24 are arranged side by side and in
parallel to each other, with the chambers 24 extending in the
longitudinal direction of the webbing 12.
[0041] Further, the chambers 24 may also be arranged successively
in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 12.
[0042] In addition, the chambers 24 may be arranged successively in
the transverse direction of the webbing 12.
[0043] Accordingly, the chambers 24 can be provided to be
substantially three-dimensionally distributed within the webbing
12.
[0044] The electric heating elements 24 arranged in each of the
chambers 24 serve for the heating of a vehicle occupant who is
wearing the seat belt 10, especially the webbing 12, during
traveling.
[0045] The webbing 12 may include plural chambers 24 that extend
over the entire length of the webbing 12 or over a partial area of
the webbing 12 only. In particular, the webbing 12 may include
plural parallel chambers 24 that extend over the entire length of
the webbing. Preferably, the heating elements 26 or at least the
carriers 30 of the heating element equally extend over the entire
length of the webbing 12, which facilitates simple manufacture of
the webbing 12.
[0046] The electric heating element 26 accommodated in the
respective chamber 24 may extend over the entire length of the
respective chamber 24 or over a partial area only.
[0047] This helps define, inter alia, the heating surface
available.
[0048] Via the number of the chambers 24 and, consequently, also
the number of the electric heating elements 26 the maximally
available heating capacity as well as the corresponding heating
surface can be adjusted.
[0049] The electric heating elements 26 are especially band-shaped,
therefore they can also be referred to as heating bands. Insofar,
the electric heating elements 26 can be easily introduced to the
chambers 24 of the webbing 12, i.e., during manufacture of the
webbing 12.
[0050] Further, at its periphery the webbing 12 includes edges 28
that are formed during manufacture of the webbing 12.
[0051] For example, the webbing 12 comprises plural layers which
are interconnected. The two peripheral or outer layers forming the
edges 28 can be sewn, especially at the periphery, to each
other.
[0052] Also, the plural layers can be interwoven, wherein also the
two peripheral or outer layers forming the edges 28 are
interwoven.
[0053] Basically, the chambers 24 may also be provided in one layer
of the webbing 12.
[0054] The at least one layer of the webbing 12 may be a fabric
layer that comprises, e.g., PET.
[0055] During the weaving process of the webbing 12, the electric
heating elements 26 can be continuously fed so that the heating
elements 26 are integrated already during manufacture of the
webbing 12 so that they do not have to be introduced manually
afterwards.
[0056] The heating elements 26 can be sewn directly with the
material of the webbing 12 so as to be fastened to the webbing 12,
and especially to a layer of the webbing 12.
[0057] Each of the heating elements 26 may comprise a carrier 30
and a heating material 32 that is applied to the carrier 30. The
heating material 32 may be coupled to the carrier 30, such as sewn
with the carrier 30, by embroidery and/or by means of crochet
galloon technique.
[0058] The carrier 30 may be a non-woven or a fabric material to
which the heating material 32 is appropriately fastened.
Alternatively, the heating material 32 may be introduced or
integrated in the carrier 30, for example woven into the carrier
30.
[0059] In particular, a heating element 26 designed in this way is
prefabricated so that during the weaving operation it is directly
introduced to the respective chamber 24 and is fastened in the
webbing 12 during the weaving operation.
[0060] The heating material 32 may be loop-shaped so that the ends
of the heating material 32, for example of a heating wire, are
located at one end of the respective heating element 26. In other
words, at the two ends of the loop the heating material 32 includes
corresponding contacts 34 via which an electrical contact then can
be applied to the electric heating element 26.
[0061] The heating material 32 may be arranged only in portions on
the carrier 30. This allows, for example, endless
introduction/interweaving of the heating element 26 during the
manufacturing process of the webbing 12, wherein the available
heating surface can be defined through the portion of the carrier
30 and, resp., the portions of the carriers 30 on which the heating
material 32 is arranged.
[0062] The at least one electric heating element 26 can be easily
contacted through the end fitting 16 of the seat belt 10.
[0063] Hence, the heating element 26 is passed, at least with its
contacts 34, up to the end fitting 16. The contacts 34 thus can
extend through the webbing 12.
[0064] In particular, all of the contacts 34 of the heating
elements 26 that are accommodated in different chambers 24 are
passed out at one end of the webbing 12, namely at the end of the
webbing 12 assigned to the end fitting 16.
[0065] Furthermore, at least some areas of the heating elements 26
may be provided, for the protection, e.g., against water, sweat or
abrasion, with an insulation 36, may include an insulating coating
and/or may be surrounded by a separately configured insulation, for
example.
[0066] Also, the heating material 32 itself can include the
insulation 36, and thus can be appropriately insulated.
[0067] For example, the heating material 32 comprises at least one
conductive fiber element and/or one conductive stranded element.
The conductive stranded element may comprise, for example, a copper
strand and/or a steel strand including a copper coating with an
enamel insulation. The conductive fiber element may comprise, for
example, a conductive filament and/or a carbon fiber with an enamel
insulation.
* * * * *